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American Eagle plans major distribution center in Hazleton area

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HAZLE TWP. - A clothing retailer will build a massive distribution center in Humboldt Industrial Park and plans to hire 369 people over the next four years.

American Eagle Outfitters Inc. also expects to add 600 additional workers at the proposed 1 million-square-foot facility during peak seasons, said Kevin O'Donnell, president of CAN DO, the Hazleton-area economic development group that developed Humboldt.

American Eagle officials announced the plans during a Wednesday morning board meeting.

According to Mr. O'Donnell, the Governor's Action Team coordinated the $160 million project with CAN DO. Talks to develop the 120-acre Hazle Twp. site have been in the works for around 18 months.

The Pittsburgh-based company will get a $400,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant and a $166,050 Guaranteed Free Training grant for workforce training. And because the site is in a Keystone Opportunity Zone, the retailer will also receive exemptions on various state and local taxes through 2019.

Mr. O'Donnell said the company is planning to break ground in mid- to late June and spend a year building the massive facility, which about doubles the size of the Amazon.com distribution center in Humboldt.

"This building is going to be huge. This will be the largest building in any of (CAN DO's) developments," he said. "It's hard to picture a building like that."

Mericle Commercial Real Estate owns the land - purchased from CAN DO several years ago - and has been marketing it to companies.

Mericle will make the site "pad-ready" and American Eagle will hire a contractor to construct the building, he said.

American Eagle has more than 920 stores in the U.S. and Canada, including a half dozen stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

Contact the writer: jwhalen@standardspeaker.com

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